Page 24 of The Billionaire's Heart

“Don’t worry about them, dear.” Misty says as she approaches me, wiping her hands with an actual cloth towel.Isn’t the Kennedy center afraid people will steal them?“They’re just jealous of you.”

“Of me?” Her comment takes me by surprise as I put my shoes back on. “Why?”

Misty smirks at me as she elegantly slips her shoes back on her feet without sitting down. A well-practiced move, but something I could never do as gracefully. “Because you’re dating Ian, of course.” She places the towel in a bin by the exit door. “Ready to go?”

I automatically follow her out. “Why would that matter?”

Misty turns to me, “Mia, dear, haven’t you noticed all the women tonight have been glaring at you and giving you the evil eye?”

Looking around, I now notice she’s right. Every woman is looking at me either with disgust or hatred. I attempt to smile back at a few when I catch their eyes, but to no avail. It looks like I’m the most hated woman in the building.Great.

“There you are.” Ian pulls me into his arms and kisses me on the cheek. “I thought I’d come find you instead.”

“Actually, I think I’ve talked the man’s ear off about my grandkids.” Bert Sutherland laughs as he takes his wife’s hand.

Another camera flashes at us as the security guard ushers the cameraman out the door. Both Mr. Sutherland and Mr. Gallo shake their heads in disgust at the nerve of that guy, but both ignore him.

Ian continues as if that cameraman wasn’t even there. “Nonsense. I’m hoping to one day have what you and Misty have – a marriage and family of my own.” Ian smiles warmly at me and then turns to the Sutherlands. “It’s a dream I’ve always had.”

Really? Mr. Gallo, billionaire extraordinaire, wants a family? Never would have guessed it, although I can see him with a couple of kids running around his legs. The woman that finally catches his eye will be one lucky lady.

Chapter 12

Ian

It didn’t get past me that every single woman at the gala tonight was staring at Mia, but thankfully, I don’t think Mia noticed. It’s not her fault that these snobs hate her. It’s mine.

They all want to landtherich, eligible bachelor. To claim me as their own. To show their friends and high society that they matter more than anyone else. But it’s all lies. All of it.

Not one of them, and I’ve dated my fair share of them, wants what Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland have, and that’s the only way anyone is going to land this rich bastard.

“Did you have fun tonight, Mia?” We’re in the limo heading back to the hotel and I’m finding I’m dreading the return to the hotel and not being around Mia any longer. I’ve really enjoyed her company. She’s funny and extraordinarily smart. I have no idea why she’s working as a receptionist when she could do so much more.

And she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I haven’t been able to keep my eyes, or hands, off of her tonight.

“I had so much fun. It felt like a fairy tale, but the clock’s about to strike midnight.” She laughs. “Time for a reality check, although I don’t know if I’ll get that until I’m back home in my one-room apartment.”

I watch her as she looks mesmerized by the monuments all lit up at night as we pass by them. “Would you like to take a tour of Washington tomorrow with me?” I wasn’t planning on spending more time with Mia, but that idea just popped out of my mouth. I want to be around her. There’s something special about her and I can’t put my finger on it.

“Oh, no, but thank you. I’m sure you have a lot on your plate, and you don’t need to be playing tour guide to me.”

“Nonsense. If we get up early enough, we can at least take a ride to all the monuments before we fly back. How does that sound?” I’m hopeful she’ll say yes to my plan. Mia makes me feel different from anyone I’ve ever met before, and I don’t want it to end.

She ponders my offer for a few moments and then she smiles like a kid at Christmas and suddenly all I ever want to do for the rest of my life is to do whatever I can to make her smile like that every day. “If you’re willing, I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Great.”

“But… only if you’re not already busy.”

My hand automatically reaches up to her cheek and caresses it before I even know what I’m doing. “I’m all yours.”

She has no idea how much I mean that.

I’m fucked.

“Welcome back, Mr. Gallo. Miss McIntosh,” the doorman to the Waldorf Astoria says as he opens the door to the limo.

“Thank you, Philip. How’s your son Travis doing?”

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